Father Christmas is back in town as families descend on Ward Jackson Park for Alice House Hospice’s Santa Run

The annual Santa Run has returned on Sunday, December 5, after it was cancelled in 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Families across the town were invited to sign up to the festive event and either run or walk around the half-mile course while dressed as Santa himself.

The sign-up fee for the event included a Santa suit for adults and either a Santa hat or reindeer antlers for children – complete with a flashing nose.

Children were awarded a medal for finishing the run and participants were accompanied by music and entertainment from Higham Discos.

Speaking ahead of the run, Janice Forbes, the hospice’s community fundraiser, commented on how lovely it was to see families getting in the Christmas mood and thanked those who make the event possible each year.

She said: “We always look forward to the Santa Fun Run, it is a lovely event and a great way for families to get in to the festive spirit and one of our major fundraising events of the year.

"We would like to thank our generous event sponsors Readhead Associates and Property Webmasters which means that the event costs are covered and all money raised can be used to support the hospice’s patients and their families.

"Thanks also to Maria and her team at The Place in the Park for welcoming us back each year.”

The Alice House Hospice, in Wells Avenue, offers specialist palliative care, counselling and support to hundreds of adults from Hartlepool and East Durham each year.

The hospice also provides support to family and carers, including counselling, advice, guidance and signposting to external organisations where required.

It costs £3.5m to continue providing the current range of services this year, however it only receives about 20% of the required funding from the Government.

The outstanding £2.8m must be raised through the local community and other fundraising initiatives – with the annual Santa Run being one of the biggest events in the calendar year for the charity.

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